Illuminated sign apparatus



Malh 21, 1957 R. s. GALLAGHER LLUMNATED SIGN APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1962 of t5 TA L W ff. T V N6 M w Y @YW a m mm 21m 674 f w; Us w www 7 22j/2 Z 7 32 2 1 :Ww/fw n g1 [Jr Qw\f @J7 i @im United States Patent tidce 3,362,866 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 3,3'99,86 ELUM'INATED SIGN APPARATUS Roy S. Gallagher, Santa Barbara, Calif., assignor, by inesne assignments, to Ronald W. Sheppard, Sparta,

' Filed Apr. 3o, iasz,ser.No.191,z4o

4 anims. (ci. 411-130) This invention relates generally to illuminating devices and more particularly is directed towards illuminated signs.

Conventional lighted signs such as are used to iridicate exit, iire escape and the like, generally comprise a transparent or translucent colored lens inter-posed in front of at least one fluorescent or incandescent bulb. In addition to the usual maintenance required by these bulbs, there is further presented the diiiiculty of achieving a uniformly lighted sign. The portions of the letters in the sign directly in front of the bulb appear much brighter than those portions spaced further from the bulb, the result being an inefficient and esthetically unpleasant illumination.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved illuminated sign apparatus.

A main object of the invention is to provide a sign apparatus that provides ya substantially uniform field of illumination for whatever sign symbols are desired.

Another important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described that is suitable for economical mass production.

A further object is to provide a sign of the character described that needs substantially no service and may be used continuously over a long period of at least iive years.

Still another object is to provide an extremely lightweight illuminated sign that is uncumbersome and has a very thin cross section.

An even further object is to provide an illuminated sign apparatus that is adapted to have signs of dierent designations interchanged to accommodate various specific needs.

Yet another object is to provide `an illuminated sign apparatus that is a sealed insulated unit and is unsusceptible to damage from shock or vibration.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention, which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sign apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, the apparatus being shown prior to complete assembly;

FIGURE 2 is an end `cross sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional View taken along the plane 3 3 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the grid lighting structure during its assembly.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an illuminated sign apparatus 11 including a housing 12 with a plurality of light bulbs 13 disposed therein. As here shown the bulbs are of the diode types as is more specifically referred to hereinafter. A light diffusing plate 14 is mounted on the housing to enclose the bulbs, and is adapted to present a substantially uniform eld of emitted light when the bulbs are illuminated. A lens plate 16 for depicting various possible symbols, as for example exit as shown in FIGURE l, is then placed over the diifusing plate 14 and thus enables illumination of the symbols by light emitted through the diffusing plate. Because of the uniform field of light presented by the diffusing plate, the various letters in the sign plate are also illuminated uniformly, there being no spots or portions of differing brightness as contrasted to other portions of the sign.

In more detail now, the housing 12 is preferably constructed in a tray shaped configuration, `and includes a substantially flat bottom portion 17, peripheral side walls 1S extending away from the bottom portion, and a peripheral flange 19 extending outwardly from adjacent the extended edges of the side walls. The diiusing plate 14 may thus be placed at against the flange 19 and secured thereto to form a completely enclosed and sealed charnber 21 for housing the bulbs and their associated cornponents, to be described. It is preferable that the housing is composed of a plastic material, as for example heat resistant polystyrene blends or poly-vinyl-chloride-acetate blends of self extinguishing or non-combustible characteristics, to provide lightweight, insulative and fire resistant features. The use of plastics also facilitates mass production of the present sign apparatus through the use of heat fusing or a suitable chemical bonding material to secure the diffusirio plate 14 to the housing flange 19. Insulative fasteners may also vbe used to mechanically secure the plate 14 to the housing. The diffusing plate is preferably composed of a similar plastic to assure a firm bond with the flange 19, and is also given yan unpolished finish, as may be achieved by dust blasting, to enhance its light diffusing characteristics which are described more fully hereinafter.

With regard to the assembly of the bulbs 13 within the chamber 21, there is provided a iirst plurality of thin conductive wires 22 disposed within the chamber 21 adjacent the bottom ypoition 17. A second plurality of thin conductive wires 23 is also disposed adjacent the portion 17 and spaced from the wires 22. The bulbs 13 are then electrically coupled lbetween one of the wires 22 and one yof the wires 23, there also being a plurality of resistors 24 each serially interposed between one of the ybulbs 13 and one of the wires to which the corresponding bulb is co-upled. By providing a suitable voltage differential between the respective pluralities of wires the bulbs may be illuminated.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the bul-bs are made a part of a prefabricated grid assembly 26 that may be secured as a unit within the housing 12 prior to mounting of the diffusing plate. In the assembly 26 the pluralities of wires 22 and 23 are disposed in parallel spaced relationship with the wires 22 alternating with the Wires 23. A pair of spaced insulating rods 27 and 28 are then disposed transversely across the wires and secured thereto to form a relatively rigid grid structure. By having the rods 27 and 28 composed of a suitable plastic niaterial the Wires may Ibe secured iby one of two possible means. By applying heat in the .region of contact between each wire and the rods it is possible to imbed the wires into the plastic. A more suitable arrangement, however, has been found to be coating the plastic rods with a quick drying chemical :bonding material and then placing the respective wires in contact with the rods for adherence thereto. The wires 22 are then electrically connected together by means of an end connecting wire 29 disposed transversely to the wires 22 adjacent corresponding ends thereof. The wires 23 are similarly connected by a connecting wire 31. The above noted voltage dierential may then be provided by a pair of electrical source wires 32 and 33 each coupled respectively to one of the wires 22 and 23, and extended out from thechainber 21 through a sealed opening 34 in the bottom portion 17.

To facilitate mass production of the grid assembly, particularly where large illumination areas are to be provided, it may be advantageous to form the pluralities of wires 22 and 23 out of a single continuous Wire. As an eX- ample of such construction reference is now made to FIG- URE 4 wherein is shown a single wire 36 that begins at one end 51 and progresses through the portions 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 5S, 59, 61, 62, 63 to the other end 64. The wire 36 after being formed as shown in FIGURE 4 is then secured to the insulating rods 27 and 2S as previously noted. Portions of the wire 36 that overlap at the points 37 and 38 are then welded or otherwise joined together to form a secure electrical connection. The Wire 36 is then severed at the points 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77 and 78. The resulting grid structure is that illustrated in FIG- URE 3.

Once having the basic grid structure assem'bled the bulbs 13 are then disposed intermediate spaced pairs of wires and electrically coupled therebetween. That is, each bulb is electrically coupled ybetween a wire 23 and a wire 22. The plurality of bulbs are disposed along the lengths of the wires ybetween all of the adjacent pairs thereof thereby providing a generally uniform distribution of the bulbs throughout the grid structure. As noted above, a plurality of resistors are each serially interposed between one of the bulbs and one of the wires. In production it has been found expedient to have the resistors butt-welded to one of the leads of the bulbs prior to assembly on the grid. In this manner the bulb and resistor may be handled as an integral unit. VIt has been further found preferable to secure the bulb and resistor to the grid wires by means of seam `or buttwelding, rather than by soldering which may be troublesome because of the heat absorption of the grid structure. Moreover, greater rigidity and a more secure connection are achieved by the welding methods.

The completed grid assembly 26 is next mounted inside the housing 12 by disposition flat against the inside surface of the bottom portion 17. The assembly is then secured to the housing, preferably by means of an insulative chemical bonding material that contacts Various p0rtions of each of the grid wi-res as well as the ins-ulating rods. bulbs and resistors. This maybe achieved by coating the portion 17 with such bonding material prior to mounting of the grid assembly, and then placing the assembly in contact with such coating. This method of securance has been found to make the final structure free from susceptibility to damage from shock or vibration. Other methods of securing the grid assembly are possible, however, as for example applying heat to the bottom portion 17 in spots adjacent the wires 22 and 23 and then depressing the wires in the plastic.

Once the grid assembly is secured within the housing the diffusing plate is mounted thereon and the apparatus 11 is ready for use. The lens plate 16 is then secured adjacent the diffusing plate. This is preferably accomplishedby the use of U-shaped clips 39 or the like disposed over the edges of the flange and lens. The lens and housing may also be disposed within a suitable frame adapted to retain the housing with the lens in the described proximate relationship thereto.

As regards the lens 16 it is preferably composed of a translucent material, colored if desired. A layer of opaque material such as paint or the like may then be disposed on one lens surface in a manner defining the desired symbols in the translucent material. It will be appreciated that various lens plates of different designations may be readily interchanged with the basic lighting apparatus 11. Moreover, several lens plates of different polarizations, for example, may be stacked together to achieve unusual effects for decorative and subdued lighting purposes.

With regard to the uniform eld of light emission from the diffusing plate 14, it is important to note the particular structure of the apparatus 11. More specifically, it is seen that the rgrid assembly 26 is spaced substantially from the diffusing plate 14. This spacing is critical insofar as the relation between the bulbs and diffusing plate becomes such that the light transmitted through the plate is not concentrated in correspondence with each individual bulb but rather is of substantial uniform brightness throughout the entire area of the plate. As noted hereinabove, this diffusion is also enhanced by dust blast finishing the surface of the plate 14. Moreover, by constructing the diffusing plate out of a plastic material of the type noted above having a generally milk white translucency, the diffusion is further enhanced.

With regard to the bulbs as previously stated it is preferred that diode type gaseous glow lamps be used. For example, T2-32Rl or LT2R-27-1 (K factor) diodes have been found suitable for purposes of this invention, their characteristics assuring continuous operation for five years at approximately 78% of original brightness, and up to 50,000 hours at 50% maximum brightness.

Several variations of the inventions basic embodiment have been contemplated. For example, instead of using a separate lens plate 16 it is possible to construct the diffusing plate 14 out of translucent material and cover it in a predetermined manner with an opaque layer. It is appreciated, however, that one of the main advantages of the invention is the flexibility of having the apparatus 11 as a basic illuminating unit, and suitable for adapting with various interchangeable lens plates 16 to accommodate different needs. Moreover, the light transmission characteristics of the diffusing plate 14 and the lens plate 16 are basically different. While the translucent lens plate material is intended to provide maximum light transmission, allowing of course for color selectivity, the plate 14 is intended to somewhat inhibit straightforward transmission from each bulb, and through diffusion provides the aforementioned uniform field of light.

Another possible variation, which would be particularly useful in the case of relatively large signs, is to have the bulbs 13 disposed on the grid structure only in positions corresponding to the letters or other symbols to be illuminated. That is, rather than having the bulbs disposed uniformly throughout the grid structure, they may be placed only in the general area needed to illuminate specific portions of the sign. While in this embodiment the diffusing plate 14 would of course not be uniformly lighted throughout its area, there would be uniform lighting on the diffusing plate in those areas of the lens to be lighted. Thus in a large sign it would not be necessary to waste bulbs when the light emitted therefrom would be directed primarily at portions of the lens plate covered by an opaque layer.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention affords a novel and improved sign illuminating apparatus capable of achieving each of the various aforementioned objects.

What is claimed is:

1. Illuminated sign apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a housing including a substantially flat bottom portion with peripheral side walls extending away therefrom, a light diffusing plate spaced from said bottom portion and secured to said side walls to form an enclosed chamber, a first plurality of electrically connected generally elongated conductive wires disposed in said chamber adjacent said bottom portion and in generally parallel coplanar relationship, a second plurality of electrically connected generally elongated conductive Wires disposed in said chamber adjacent said bottom portion and each being spaced from said first plurality of wires, said wires being firmly secured to said housing to retain them against vibratory or shock movement in generally parallel coplanar alternating relation therewith, a plurality of gaseous discharge bulbs disposed in said chamber adjacent said bottom portion and each electrically coupled and structurally secured between one of said rst plurality of wires and an adjacent one of said second plurality of wires, and a plurality of resistors each interposed serially between one of said bulbs and one of said wires, said bulbs each being spaced from said diffusing plate sufficiently to create a substantially uniform field.

of light visible on the exterior of said plate.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 further characterized by a lens plate being disposed over the exterior face of said diusing plate, said lens plate being composed of translucent material, a layer of opaque material covering a portion of one surface of said lens plate in a manner dening predetermined symbols in said translucent maten'al, said housing including a peripheral outwardly extending ilange adjacent the extended edges of said side Walls, and said diiusing plate being disposed upon said ange and permanently secured thereto in sealing relation by suitable bonding material to form a substantially integral part of said housing.

3. An illuminated sign apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a housing including a substantially tlat bottom portion with peripheral side walls extending away therefrom and a peripheral tlange extending outwardly from adjacent the extended edges of said side walls, a light diusing plate disposed over said ange to form an enclosed chamber, a rst plurality of parallel spaced wires disposed in said chamber adjacent said bottom portion, a second plurality of parallel spaced 'wires disposed in said chamber adjacent said bottom portion and in alternating relationship with rst plurality of wires, a pair of spaced insulating rods disposed transversely across said wires and secured thereto, said rods and wires forming a substantially unitary rigid grid structure, said grid structure being secured to said bottom portion to retain it against vibratory or shock movement, first means electrically connecting each of said rst plurality of wires together, second means electrically connecting each of said second plurality of wires together, a plurality of gaseous discharge bulbs disposed adjacent said bottom portion and each electrically coupled between adjacent spaced pairs of said Wires, and a plurality of resistors each interposed serially between one of said bulbs and one of said wires, said bulbs being spaced from said diffusing plate suiciently to create a `substantially uniform field of light visible on the exterior of said plate.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 further delined by a lens plate being disposed over the exterior surface of said diffusing plate, said lens plate being composed of translucent material, and a layer of opaque material covering a portion of one surface of said lens plate in a manner defining predetermined symbols in said translucent material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,961,735 6/1934 Braun 40-130 1,961,991 6/1934 Southwell 140-112 2,058,058 lO/l936 Caccia -132 2,083,258 6/1937 Fisher 40-132 2,216,220 10/1940 Baker 40-130 X 2,23 8,779 4/ 1941 Mosebach 140-112 2,508,136 5/1950 Beier 40-130 2,599,613 6/1952 Cottingham 338-319 2,665,356 1/1954 Du Bois 338-319 2,713,629 7/1955 Etzkorn 40-130 2,745,094 5/1956 Harrington et al. 40-132 X 2,847,781 8/1958 Van Den Berg 40--130 X 2,998,667 9/1961 Darnell et al. 40-132 3,042,137 7/ 1962 Mathues 174-52 3,056,222 10/ 1962 Boudouris 40-132 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,213,076 lO/ 1959 France. 525,926 5/ 1955 Italy.

NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner.

EDVARD V. BENHAM, Examiner.

I. D. WALL, C. I. COUGHENOUR,

Assistant Examiners. 

3. AN ILLUMINATED SIGN APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOTTOM PORTION WITH PERIPHERAL SIDE WALLS EXTENDING AWAY THEREFROM AND A PERIPHERAL FLANGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM ADJACENT THE EXTENDED EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, A LIGHT DIFFUSING PLATE DISPOSED OVER SAID FLANGE TO FORM AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER, A FIRST PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SPACED WIRES DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM PORTION, A SECOND PLURALITY OF PARALLEL SPACED WIRES DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM PORTION AND IN ALTERNATING RELATIONSHIP WITH FIRST PLURALITY OF WIRES, A PAIR OF SPACED INSULATING RODS DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID WIRES AND SECURED THERETO, SAID RODS AND WIRES FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNITARY RIGID GRID STRUCTURE, SAID GRID STRUCTURE BEING SECURED TO SAID BOTTOM PORTION TO RETAIN IT AGAINST VIBRATORY OR SHOCK MOVEMENT, FIRST MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING EACH OF SAID FIRST PLURALITY OF WIRES TOGETHER, SECOND MEANS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING EACH OF SAID SECOND PLURALITY OF WIRES TOGETHER, A PLURALITY OF GASEOUS DISCHARGE BULBS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM PORTION AND EACH ELECTRICALLY COUPLED BETWEEN ADJACENT SPACED PAIRS OF SAID WIRES, AND A PLURALITY OF RESISTORS EACH INTERPOSED SERIALLY BETWEEN ONE OF SAID BULBS AND ONE OF SAID WIRES, SAID BULBS BEING SPACED FROM SAID DIFFUSING PLATE SUFFICIENTLY TO CREATE A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM FIELD OF LIGHT VISIBLE ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID PLATE. 